Advances in technology have made communication using electromagnetic waves the most reliable and fastest ways of communicating information between points. In general, electromagnetic communication systems generate information at a source (e.g., transmitter). Information is transmit as a signal through a channel, such as free space in radio applications, electronic lines in telephone and internet applications, or optic fibers in fiber optic applications. During transmission, a channel propagating information usually induces loss in a signal and/or distorts the signal. Likewise, various other mechanics may introduce noise in a signal. A signal is typically received by a receiver which can utilize and/or decode the signal.
In a general, optical fiber based communication systems transmits optical signals to, or receives optical signals from, one or more optical fibers. The optical fibers are affixed (e.g., via epoxy) or mated in a fiber optic connector that positions the ends of the optical fibers in close proximity to the optoelectronic component. In many systems, a lens is used to focus optical signals emitted from a optic fiber.
Optoelectronic component must be aligned relative to a lens, and a lens must be aligned relative to the end of a optical fiber. If the optical transmission path is not aligned, a quality of the optical communication can be degraded or an optic signal can be completely lost. Aligning the optoelectronic device, the lens, and the core of the optical fiber can be difficult because of the small dimensions and low fault tolerances in systems.
Today, devices can achieve the required alignment. However, such devices suffer from one or more shortcomings. The shortcomings typically involve increases in time, inability to automate, increases in cost, or low precision. In many cases, an entire optical system is assembled, then it is discovered that the components are not aligned and the system must be discarded or reassembled.
The above-described deficiencies are merely intended to provide an overview of some of the problems of conventional systems, and are not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems with conventional systems and corresponding benefits of the various non-limiting embodiments described herein may become further apparent upon review of the following description.